Taxi suspended from service following routine spot check by NELC and Humberside Police

Accident damage, door signs mounted on magnets, a broken light and a dirty vehicle were among the issues found during a recent taxi spot checking operation between North East Lincolnshire Council[1] and Humberside Police[2]. On Sunday, December 17, six random taxis in the area were pulled over by the team, which was made up of licencing officers from NELC checking the drivers and general condition of the vehicles, and police officers checking insurance, tyres and lights. One vehicle was immediately suspended for having a tyre below the legal tread depth limit and door signs mounted with magnets, while officers also found accident damage on one vehicle and one which was unclean with a taxi roof light that was not working.

Another vehicle had a broken light. The council’s licensing team are responsible for issuing licenses to new and continuing taxi drivers, and carry out extensive checks on the vehicles to ensure that they are roadworthy and meet the required standards. Throughout the year, the team carry out roadside spot checks to make sure that these standards are being kept to.

Councillor Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “I’d like to thank the officers from both the council’s licensing team and Humberside Police for carrying out these spot checks.

Grimsby town centre taxi rank (Image: grimsby Live)

“It’s important that the standards of our taxis are the highest that they can be and that they are safe for local residents. This work is about making sure these standards are being adhered to. “I’m pleased to say that the majority of drivers do uphold these standards and I thank them for that.

On this occasion, drivers have been spoken to and the issues will be monitored until they are resolved.” North East Lincolnshire Council has given the following tips when getting a taxi:

• Always use a licensed vehicle.
• Hackney Carriage Vehicles can pick up unarranged fares from the street. They have a taxi roof sign and a white licence plate on the rear bumper.
• Private hire vehicles are not permitted to pick up from the street without being pre-booked.

  They have a half moon door sign on the front two doors which say ‘advanced bookings only’, and a yellow licence plate on the rear bumper.

  Book by phone, email or in a private hire office.

  Never approach or accept a journey from a private hire driver which isn’t pre-booked.

• When your booked vehicle arrives, make sure the driver can confirm your name and destination – check this before you get into the vehicle.
• Check the driver’s photo ID badge.
• Never risk getting into a private hire vehicle which is not pre-booked.

References

1. ^ North East Lincolnshire Council (www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk)
2. ^ Humberside Police (www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk)